Where the Fairies Play
by Florence the Pen Wielder
Summary: Go not into the forest, child, for that is where the fairies play; heed my words and listen well: beware of the treacherous fey! They will trick you, steal your name, fool you, and take you away. So beware, my child, of the treacherous fey, and never go to where they play! (KilixOC)
1. Chapter o1

Chapter o1, in which Bilbo Baggins discovers the most peculiar thing underneath a shooting star

This was a fine mess Bilbo Baggins had gotten himself into. A fine mess, indeed. His task wasn't that difficult to perform; being the only one of his company who could roam the grounds without restrictions, he simply had to follow the elves in and out of their dwelling. Out, so that he could inspect the outer surroundings and think of new ways to break his companions free. In, because he had to keep up with the elves so as to not remain outside. In the dark. With the spiders. The bloody humongous spiders.

Bilbo Baggins gulped down a whimper. Not only did he not think of new ways to set his companions free, but he had also, as you have probably guessed, lost the elves and was now stuck outside. In the dark. With the bloody humongous murderous spiders.

Try as he might, his little structure and clumsy feet simply could not keep up with the ever graceful and prominent stature of the elves. Albeit, had he not stopped to marvel at the night sky he most likely would have been in the cosy comforts of the kitchen by now.

Bilbo Baggins sighed heavily, collapsing on the forest floor and wrapping his arms around himself. He could be such a fool at times. In the hobbit's defence, I must point out that his current predicament is not entirely his fault. Well, he was not forced to stop and marvel at the sky, but seeing as such a long time had passed since he had last laid eyes on it, he practically felt compelled to do so.

The facts were these: while following the elves, he had gazed up at the trees, feeling wary. Every so often something would scurry about, leaving leaves in their wake and making some of them fall in his hair. That was when the hobbit had noticed an empty space amid the leaves, a clearing where a pale light was shining through. He quickly ran to it, as soundlessly as he could, and basked in the moonlight while staring at the pretty bright stars in the dark blue sky. He smiled and sighed to himself, enchanted by the little patch of heavenly scenery.

That, of course, was the moment he had lost the elves, and upon realizing this he clutch tightly to his curls and started rocking himself back and forth.

Now, lying on the forest floor with his arms wrung around his person, Bilbo thought hard. How, oh how, would he get back in the Wood-elves' cave? The obvious answer would be to wait until the elves came out so that he could follow them back. But that could be at any time, and while you and I are safe in our cosy homes, sitting in our warm beds, we mustn't forget that poor Bilbo is stranded in Mirkwood, where hairy creatures with beady red eyes lurk about behind every stone.

Gazing back at the stars, hopelessness settling within him, the hobbit let a sigh pass through his lips. He could imagine the twinkling stars giggling at his misfortune. He could imagine Thorin raging at the bottommost cell of the Wood-elves' dungeons because his burglar was not coming to report the day's events. He was pretty sure he could even hear the livid dwarf from where he was sitting. Feeling a chill creep up his back- or what he hoped was a chill- the hobbit shivered and slowly started sobbing.

Why did he have to go and get himself lost? Why was he so easily distracted at such crucial times? More importantly, why had he accepted to come on this damned journey in the first place? He could have been in his bed right now, with warm tea on his night stand and his favourite book in his hands. He would sleep until midday and would wake up to chirping birds and warm sunlight, and would indulge himself a bountiful of breakfast delicacies. His bothersome kinsfolks would come knocking on his door, and he would ignore them, then he would go out on his porch and smoke from his pipe. He could be doing all that, but instead he was in the middle of a forest where everything was undoubtedly out there for the sole purpose of eating him, trapped in a quest he had no desire to be in, and if he somehow survived this situation he was sure he was going to be slaughtered by a murder-driven dwarf. And let's not forget the dragon.

The stars continued to glimmer, unaware of the hobbit's sorrows. And just as the little creature started to hiccup, he noticed a shooting star cross the evening sky. He suddenly felt overwhelmed as he remembered his dear old mother telling him stories about shooting stars. "They carry good luck," she would say, "Whenever you see a shooting star, always make a wish, my dear Bilbo." And he always would, even though at times his wishes didn't come true. And just like that, the memories of his mother and his boyhood and his beloved home tugged at Bilbo's lonely heart as he stifled another sob.

"I wish," he whispered, "From the bottom of my heart, for someone out there who could help me out of this misfortune," he cried, and wiped several tears from his cheek with his dirty sleeve.

The solitary star continued on its course, seemingly oblivious of the hobbit's plea. As it moved slowly up above, Bilbo felt his heart sink, numerous hiccups following. He sighed and adverted his gaze from the sky, when something caught his eye instantaneously, taking him off guard.

No, not something, but someone. Across from his position was a gigantic stone. On top of the stone was a form. The form was staring straight ahead at something behind Bilbo. No, not behind Bilbo, but right at him. Upon realizing this, Bilbo stiffened and held his breath. Even the creeping on his back froze. Sure enough, the figure was indeed looking at him. Perched on top of the stone, with their legs crossed and their chin resting on their fist, the figure stood still under the moonbeam, eyeing Bilbo with curiosity. Bilbo felt his blood slowly rising to his face. How could they be looking directly at him? He was, after all, wearing his magic ring. Getting to his feet and grabbing his sword as quietly as possible, the hobbit inspected the immobile form and waited for the person to attack. Instead, they continued to gawk at him, following his every move.

"Good evening," he squeaked, then cleared his throat.

"There have been better," the other exhaled.

Bilbo was dumbstruck. The other individual… was a female. He tried getting a better look at her, but it was so dark he could hardly see anything but the outline of her body. He wanted to move closer to her, but found that may not be the most sensible course of action. The girl might be lost, frightened, and his sword might put her on edge. Though the matter of how she could see him was still bothering him. Was he not wearing his ring? He would have checked, but the other spoke before he could.

"Why are you crying?"

"I am not crying!" Bilbo shrieked, though he assumed that would do nothing to lessen the other's already low opinion of him.

"Then, why are you making all that noise?"

"Well I find myself… to be quite lost."

"And the noise makes you feel less lost?"

"Well it makes me feel… less alone."

"I see," oddly enough, his answer seemed to please her. Bilbo could detect the slightest smile in her tone, though he couldn't be sure.

"How is it that you are able to see me?" he asked.

"Well, you're right there. It's hard not to see you," she explained.

"But I am invisible," Bilbo confirmed to himself, feeling the ring with his thumb.

"In others' eyes, perhaps."

Bilbo observed the woman like figure cautiously. She resembled a child of Man, though logically speaking chances were she was an Elf. That still didn't explain how she was able to see him, though. He had wandered the elves' caves for a long time and none had even suspected his presence.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Nobody but myself."

Bilbo scoffed. "What are you doing?"

"Looking at you, obviously."

"Yes, but what are you doing here?"

"Sitting."

Bilbo could feel his exasperation increasing by the minute.

"Not very sharp, are you? You need to be precise about the things you wish to know," she twittered.

Before Bilbo could recompose himself, the woman spoke again.

"Why are you here?"

"Well, I am lost, as I have said."

"Why are you lost?"

"Not that it is any of your business, but I was separated from my party!"

"You're not very important, then, if your party hasn't noticed your absence."

"Well, that was the point, somehow. That they weren't supposed to notice my presence."

"I see", she giggled again, and went silent for half a second. "Where is your party?"

"If I knew that, I wouldn't be lost, would I?"

"But you do know where it is."

"I do, just not the exact direction."

"Then you are truly lost."

"Yes. Thank you for confirming that," Bilbo grunted, rubbing his free hand through his hair. "As a matter of fact, have you seen about a dozen elves walking around these parts?"

"I have not," she answered, and Bilbo let out another grunt. "But I know of a place where you can find about a dozen elves that is in these parts."

"You do?" Bilbo's eyes went wide as new found hope started filling his heart. He regarded at the girl as if she were his salvation and nearly sprinted to her to cling for dear life. But first, he had to make sure she wasn't going to kill him.

"Are you going to kill me?"

"No."

That was good enough as far as the hobbit was concerned.

"Can you take me to where the elves are?"

"I can."

The hobbit started feeling giddy, eager to get back to the caves and out of this hobbit-eating death-trap. However, it seemed to him that for every fidget he made, the she-stranger would become more relaxed. He stared expectantly, but she never moved. It occurred to him that perhaps the girl could not see him anymore.

"Can you still see me?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered, unfazed.

"Well then, will you take me to where the elves are?"

She tilted her head and looked away from Bilbo, as if considering his request for the first time. Mr Baggins was beginning to think that he was, in fact, the sharper of the two.

"I will," she decided and hopped down from her sitting place.

She seemed to skip as she approached him, but again, Bilbo couldn't be sure in this- for lack of a better word- light. Just as she was about to reach him, the girl didn't stop and instead continued skipping right by him, and the hobbit assumed he was supposed to follow.

An odd character she was, prancing about like she knew exactly where she was heading. Bilbo was starting to realize that perhaps it had not been wise of him to trust the girl; for all he knew, she actually could be leading him to his death. Just as he was about to flee, the strange female abruptly stopped and regarded the gates of the Mirkwood elves with a jaded countenance. Mr Baggins, on the other hand, could not be more ecstatic. He inspected the gates, caressing them with his cold hands, and beheld his companion with what could only be gratitude, though the aforementioned didn't seem to share in his glee. Bilbo looked back at the gates, and as realization dawned on him, his before joyful expression turned grave. Obviously, this was going to be another problem: how would he get inside?

"Will you help get me inside?" he questioned.

"No."

Bilbo whipped his head in the girl's direction, pure terror written all over his face, "Why not?"

"Will you tell me your name in exchange?" she asked after a moment's consideration.

"My name?" the hobbit was confused. What importance did his name have in all of this? "Why, my name is Bilbo Baggins, and I am a hobbit of Bag-End." His answer seemed to satisfy her, for she smiled sweetly and faced the mighty gates once again. "Do you have a name?" he queried.

"Of course I do," she retorted and pounded unceremoniously on the gates with her fist. The hobbit stared at her, suspecting he would not learn her name for the time being.

"Who goes there?" a voice asked, and while Bilbo couldn't point out the exact direction from which it came from, his female companion didn't seem to care.

"I am of the fairy folk. I come bearing the words of the Fairyqueen for the Elvenking to hear."

Mechanisms were put in motion as the elves prepared to grant the so-called fairy entrance. Bilbo ogled with new found purpose; he had never before seen a fairy, much less heard of its existence. Now that she was much closer to him, he could tell she was neither a child of Man, nor Elf, though she strangely resembled both. Her figure towering over his, she was slender and stood elegantly on the tip of her toes, swinging herself from side to side. She was even taller than the dwarves, perhaps, Bilbo thought, reaching the same height as the elves.

"You would have gone inside regardless of my request," the hobbit suddenly realized, feeling rather silly and not at all sharp.

"That is so," the fairy admitted casually, and proceeded to skipping into the dimly lit hallway with the hobbit trailing close behind.


	2. Chapter o2

Chapter o2, in which the dwarves suffer greatly at each other's hands

"But I really don't like the green stuff," Ori murmured, browsing through the suspicious food with a look of utter disgust.

"Give it a try! Yer tongue won't fall off if ye try," his brother reasoned.

Kili groaned in frustration. He wasn't sure what was getting to him the most: Ori's complaints or the green stuff. They had been locked for… well he wasn't sure for how long, but it had been quite some time. With each passing day he was beginning to doubt they were ever going to escape and that he would meet his end in a filthy (well, in theory) elf dungeon. They had no idea where Thorin was, though Mr Baggins assured them that he was alive and well, and since they didn't have anything else to go on, they took his word for it. Days passed by uneventfully, with the comings and goings of an invisible hobbit and not even a whisper of an escape strategy. Kili groaned once more.

"That's 68, brother," Fili announced.

"Two more and you beat your own record, lad," Bofur commented from across the cellar.

Kili rolled his eyes, even if for himself. If they had the time to count the sounds he made in a day, they should use their brilliant mental talents to figure out a way to get them out of there. It's not that they were treated badly or anything of the sort, but immobility can only be endured for so long by a dwarf. And, obviously, they had a quest to get back to.

Some time had passed since Mr Baggins had emerged that morning. He seemed particularly troubled, even more so than normal, though he didn't have the time to explain his misfortunes as he scurried rapidly to reach Thorin. The dwarves had eyed him curiously as he stampeded past them, mumbling 'Good morning!' and 'Must run!' in his wake. By Aulë, who knew what had set him off? The worst Kili could think was that the elves had decided to kill them, but even that was a prospect worth considering instead of loafing around in a dungeon with nothing to do. Kili began to groan, but promptly stopped in mid-action.

"68 and a half."

"You're such a tease, laddie!"

Kili let his head bang on the wall. He didn't even mind the pain.

The truth was Bilbo found it imperative to relate the evening's happenings to the dwarf king as soon as he could. He wasn't sure how, but he felt the fairy's presence would aid greatly in the dwarves' escape. Stumbling on the last steps as he descended hastily in such a haphazard manner, the little hobbit crashed on the stone floor with a lot of ruckus, causing such a commotion the dwarf king would have had to be deaf not to deduce his presence.

"Could that be you, Mr Baggins?" he inquired with a roll of the eye.

"This is not the time to be jesting!" the other announced, removing his magic ring and staring sternly at Thorin; this, of course, had taken the dwarf by surprise, for he was not used to such mannerisms when it came to the hobbit. "I believe I may know of a way to release you from your prison!"

"Do you?" Thorin questioned, sounding rather doubtful.

"Well, the previous night when I was out in the woods I encountered a most peculiar creature, who is apparently a fairy. Have you ever heard of such a being?"

"Never."

"Neither have I! At first, I was confused because I didn't know whether it was a child of Men or an Elf, but when she helped me sneak back into the caves she declared that she was of the fairy folk-"

"And why did you need help sneaking back in, Mr Baggins?"

"Well, it's all a rather long story," the alleged burglar stammered, trying to avoid Thorin's icy glare, "So I'm going to cut it short! Upon entering the caves, I followed this fairy creature where she was to meet the Elvenking, for she had a message for him from her queen, but, try as I might, I was still a few steps behind them- her and the elves escorting her- and just when I was close enough to reach them the massive doors were slammed shut right in front of my nose!" What the hobbit had failed to mention, however, was that the doors had in fact been slammed right into his nose.

"Carry on," the dwarf urged.

"This is where the story ends, I'm afraid. I couldn't hear a word they were saying and the deliberations took quite some time, so I left before I could see her again."

"I fail to see how all of this will aid in our escape," Thorin scowled, growing annoyed with the hobbit.

"Yes, I'm getting there! This morning I overheard some of the female elves talking about the fairy, and I learned that she is still within the premises. She hasn't left. And I figured, if you were to agree, that she could help break us all out!"

The dwarf stared long and hard, and Bilbo could tell he was not impressed.

"And what would possess her to do such a thing?" Thorin retorted.

"Like I said, she is a most peculiar creature. Why would she help sneak in an unseen stranger into the home of someone who- only in appearance, mind you- seems to be her ally, no questions asked? For your piece of mind, I reckon she has no business with the elves, and is a simple messenger. And, well, I'm sure you can persuade her with some form of reward."

Thorin sighed, suddenly feeling overwhelmed with fatigue. If all plans of escape were to be left in the hands of the hobbit, he was sure this was to be the place he would meet his doom. Nonetheless, he considered the burglar's words. While he didn't particularly like the idea of asking the help of anyone affiliated with the elves, he couldn't help but think of his companions and how wretched they must feel.

He had to consider the possibly that this fairy being was in fact an ally of the elves and that if Mr Baggins went and told her of their plans of escape, that would be the end of it. Thorin took comfort in knowing that even if that were to happen, their situation wouldn't change dramatically; they were already incarcerated after all. In the worst possible outcome, the elves would be aware of the hobbit's presence and the fact that the dwarves were planning an escape.

On the other hand, if the fairy being wasn't in consorts with the elves as Mr Baggins claimed and were to agree to their request, then he could spare a few gold coins for her troubles.

"Can she be trusted?"

"I still have breath in me, have I not?"

Thorin sighed, bringing his large hands to cover his face.

"I fear you might be sticking your nose where it doesn't belong, Mr Baggins,"

"Surely she cannot cause us more harm than we are already in."

And that was the end of it. Bilbo rushed through the caves, breathless in his attempt to find the fairy's location. He searched high and low, right to left, every nook and cranny, but he couldn't get a hold of her. Eventually, he spotted one of the handmaidens leaving a room. She lingered in the doorframe and seemed to listen carefully at the person inside the chamber.

"Yes, my lady fairy," she answered calmly, bowing her head respectfully, and closed the door to the room.

When the elf woman was out of sight, Bilbo tip-toed to the elegantly carved door and knocked softly. When he was beckoned, he opened and closed the door in one swift movement and planted himself as close to the door as possible.

"It is I, Bilbo Baggins, my lady fairy! Fear not!" though the fairy didn't seemed surprised nor frightened. She laid in her bed, staring at the empty space in front of her, and blinked, in acknowledgement, Bilbo supposed, at his statement.

"It always brings me joy, Bilbo Baggins, to see a familiar face," she stated dryly, and Bilbo laughed, though he supposed her words weren't meant as a joke.

"Have you been well?"

"I haven't been unwell."

"I'm glad to hear that," Bilbo fidgeted in his place and considered taking off his ring; his actual presence might ease her mind when he would spring the whole ordeal to her. Then again, you never know who might come knocking.

"I apologise for my current state."

"You should not apologise for who you are, Bilbo Baggins. You are who you are."

"My lady fairy, I fear I have deceived you earlier on, in the woods," he began, a solemn look on his face.

"I didn't think you as one to deceive," she giggled softly; it occurred to Bilbo that she might not have believed his story in the first place, and, despite his lies, had agreed to assist him.

"It is true that I was trying to return to my company, but it was not one of elves, but of dwarves," he admitted.

"Dwarves?" her eyebrow curved upward, meaning to look inquisitive as she looked at him for the first time since he had arrived, stretching her neck to get a better look at him. Bilbo started feeling nervous; he was wearing his magic ring, he was invisible. How was she able to see him?

"Yes, thirteen of them. And we - the company of dwarves and me, I mean - would be very grateful to you should you agree to come and speak to our leader."

The hobbit watched as the fairy laid daintily on her canopy bed, her expression devoid of emotion. For the first time since he had met her, Bilbo studied the fairy being from head to toe. With her elbow resting on the bed and her chin resting in her palm, she regarded Bilbo with an air of passive indifference. Her other arm hung dangling on the edge of the bed and she swung her legs from side to side with a rhythmical sway.

"Why would I do that?" she inquired with the least bit of curiosity.

"We have a favour to ask of you, and should you agree, I guarantee we will repay you quite handsomely!"

The fairy now gazed at him with mild interest. She tilted her head to her left side and seemed to ponder his offer. A moment's later and she rolled off the bed, standing up to her full height. It was only then that Bilbo noticed the pretty snowy garb she was wearing, which had surely been provided by the elves. Now that he thought about it, he was fairly sure the woman had fashioned a dress made of leaves and red berries the previous night. But that must have been his imagination. Who would wear a dress made of leaves and red berries? The Elvin garb cascaded to her bare feet, and fastened around her waist was a belt of gemstones just below her breast. Her hair was gathered atop her head- while the hobbit recalled it had been a messy mop of tangles just the night before- and the fairy looked… even more odd than he knew her to be. Elvin garbs did not seem to suit her.

"Very well," she smiled, making the hobbit beam instantly.

"Why, that's marvellous, my lady fairy! I have no words to express how thankful we are! My, but how will we go about doing this? We have no choice but to wait for nightfall, but then again even then we might be a risk, someone could spot you! Perhaps at the break of dawn, when there are less lurking in the caves! Oh, but we must get past the guards at the entrance of the dungeons, and what are the chances they might both fall asleep at the same time?"

"My dear Bilbo Baggins, you need not worry over such frivolous things," she moaned unhappily, placing her fingers on her forehead. "I, like you, can turn invisible at will."

"You can?" the hobbit was shocked to say the least. But then again, that did explain why she was able to see him, at least in his eyes. Between you and me, he couldn't be further from the truth.

And so they both ventured through the tunnels. They had agreed that Bilbo would lead the way since he knew how to reach Thorin and his company, and Bilbo was silently grateful for this arrangement since he couldn't even spot so much as the fairy's shadow. They walked cautiously among the elves, breathless and soundless, until they reached the dungeons where the dwarves were kept, when they realized that, no matter how much noise they would make, they could never be as loud as the ill-disposed dwarves.

They were shouting amongst each other, you could overhear their bickering from the moment you set foot through the cellar gate. A cornucopia of profanities and blaring screeches, one could assume the elves were in actual fact holding wild animals in captivity instead of creatures of sound mind.

"Just chug the damned thing before I shove it down yer throat with me own hands!"

"Yer not the boss a me!"

"I will smack you across that dense head of yours with an axe, so help me!"

"I'd like to see you try, brother!"

"I will smack the both of ye, enough I say!"

"This is getting out of hand."

The hobbit sighed, directing an apologetic look the fairy's general direction; if he could have seen her, though, he would have known that she didn't appear to be bothered by the display. If anything, a look of mild amusement tugged at her features. He scampered in front her so that he could open the door leading to the dwarves' cellars, and while he was pushing it open, the thundering quarrels ceased immediately.

Kili couldn't be sure what had started it all. He just knew he couldn't take it anymore- and I can tell you that nobody really knows what it was- but one moment he was sitting on the floor tapping his fingers impatiently, and the next he flung a bowl at his brother's head (which, mind you, was a splendid throw, considering their cells were on opposite ends and quite far from each other). And things escalated from then on. Soon enough, they all had something to get off their chest.

They had quieted when the door seemed to open by itself, and it took a few seconds before Kili realised it was only Mr Baggins. Coming to the dungeons for the second time in a day. Kili frowned, suspicion starting to settle in his heart. The hobbit seemed to linger by the door because it had remained open. It looked like the burglar was holding it for someone to enter, yet no one appeared. When he was about to voice his thoughts, he felt a pair of eyes linger on him. But that was ridiculous, because no one was there to look at him. Still, he couldn't shake off the feeling that he was being watched.


	3. Chapter o3

Chapter o3, in which Thorin Oakenshield strikes a deal with the devil

There had been many a time when Thorin considered Bilbo to be something of an inept nuisance. From the moment he had laid his eyes on the hobbit back in his little hobbit hole and until recent events, the dwarf was certain beyond dispute that the latter would die sooner rather than later; even more so, he was certain that the hobbit would ultimately endanger the company and its mission in some way or another due to his overall gaucherie, constant complaints, and childish wistfulness towards his homeland. However, he was never more certain of that than he was at that particular moment.

The dwarf prince stared long and hard at the supposed fairy being as she wandered before him, said being completely unaware of the scrutiny it was under. As she walked in circles around the cellar, her pace level and measured, she inspected the area carefully notwithstanding the overwhelming darkness. This gave Thorin the impression that nothing hidden in the shadowy corners could escape her sharp gaze- except, maybe, his own person, as it seemed that her eyes would slip past him every time she turned his way– as if there was no secret the place could keep from her. Every once in a while the dwarf would shift his gaze to the hobbit who was blatantly beaming with pride. He too followed the fairy's movements almost hypnotically and was not aware of Thorin's peeved glare on him.

It had not been long since they had arrived. The hobbit had appeared out of nowhere, as he always did, and following him was the woman in the Elvin attire; she too appeared to have materialized from thin air. Bilbo had announced their presence and nothing had been said since then.

It was hard for Thorin not to yell at Bilbo. He would have, under other circumstances, but this time he refrained for fear of being heard by the guards. As his eyes lingered on the alleged fairy while she twirled about, he was becoming more and more convinced that she was in actual fact an Elf, and that the hobbit, gullible as he was, had been fooled and had, as predicted, gotten them in even higher disarray. Thorin didn't know how he would handle this, so he had to tread carefully.

"Good day," he uttered, his voice dripping with hostility.

"I expect it to be," the fairy replied, unfazed and unmoved.

"I am Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain, son of Thror, King under the Mountain!" he exclaimed, putting emphasis on every word while raising his chin and setting his eyes on her own.

If the fairy being had been intimidated, she displayed no sign of it, instead bowing her head in a show of respect, her hands clasped behind her back and an amused smirk on her lips as she continued encircling the dungeon, only this time her eyes never left Thorin's.

"You will have to excuse my current state," he began, but was immediately cut off by the fairy.

"I see no reason why you should apologise for that."

Thorin straightened his back, and then continued, "It is to my understanding that you might be able to assist my company and me in escaping our quandary."

"I am able, yes," she replied smirking.

"But are you willing?" he inquired, cold eyes narrowing on her.

"My willingness depends on what you have to offer."

The dwarf observed her with caution, "How can I know you are trustworthy? That you won't alert the elves of our intentions?"

"That is up to you, my lord dwarf."

Thorin closed his eyes in frustration and repressed the urge to growl. This was going nowhere.

"Are you even what you claim to be?" he demanded.

"Do you think me an Elf, my lord?" she chirped with a look of mild amusement as she came to a full halt right in front of Thorin's prison cell.

"You may very well be, though it is true that I have never seen an Elf with an appearance such as yours."

As she stood tall and composed, Bilbo couldn't help but wonder how she was able to appear so unruffled. For one, he knew all too well the effects Thorin had on others; also, after walking in circles for so long, he was surprised she wasn't stumbling on her feet since him himself felt quite dizzy from merely watching her.

"Come here," Thorin commanded, approaching the bars that were keeping him trapped; she too approached them, and while under other circumstances their difference in height might have seemed comical, now Bilbo felt shivers against his skin as he took notice of Thorin's grave expression.

"Swear to me that you will do nothing to harm my fellow companions! By that, I mean that you will do nothing to endanger their lives and that you will make sure we leave this place in the same state we have entered with!"

"That may prove to be difficult. I haven't the slightest idea of what state you were in when you entered," she smiled, though Thorin only responded with a glare. "I swear that no harm will come to you or your companions."

Thorin's gaze did not waver; nor did hers. Bilbo felt as everything surrounding them came to a halt, as if nothing dared to move as Thorin made his decision. He nodded firmly and casted a quick glance at the hobbit, who in return grinned enthusiastically. Finally, they were getting somewhere.

"All that remains to be settled is the matter of your payment. My company and I are on a quest at this moment in time, and at the end of this quest I expect to gain a large amount of wealth. When I come in possession of this wealth, you have my word that you will receive your payment."

"I have no need for silver or gold," she informed indifferently.

"Name your price, then," the dwarf prince offered, though he had a feeling he would come to regret it.

The fairy twirled on the tip of her toes and started circling the floor for a second time. As she did so, the hobbit and the dwarf followed her with their eyes, and they would have to wait for quite a while. Bilbo felt overwhelmed with dizziness yet again.

The fairy had to consider her demands carefully. There was no doubt in her mind that she would get them out of the caves, this wasn't a prospect that she could let pass lightly, but that didn't mean she would do it for nothing, yet she couldn't think of what to ask in return. After all, he had given his name willingly, although she suspected it wouldn't do her much good since the dwarf king seemed to be as unmoving as the mountain from where he came.

"I am to join your quest in exchange for your safe escape from the elves," she finally decided.

"That is out of the question!" Thorin growled, warning in his gruff voice.

"I am not as unserviceable as you might think me. If anything, I could-"

"This is not your battle, lady fairy. You have no business where we are headed," he warned while keeping his firm gaze on her figure.

"That is what I want," she dismissed, a pleasant smile spreading on her lips.

Bilbo looked back and forth between the two and took a step back for precaution. As in most situations, he expected the worst possible outcome, especially since it involved Thorin and, as was the case, some peculiar girl who seemed just as headstrong as the dwarf. Were it up to Bilbo, he would have permitted her to join the expedition without a moment's hesitation; she appeared to be more than capable, even though he didn't know how he was sure of this, but in the short amount of time that had passed since he had met her Bilbo was certain he could trust her. He stood by his logic: not just anybody would have helped a complete and utter stranger break into someone else's home place, let alone not tell anybody else about it. Furthermore, she had been willing enough to come down with him to the dungeons of all places to speak to some shady dwarf prince about a possible break-out. Were it up to Bilbo, he would have given her his right hand has she asked for it.

He could tell Thorin wasn't as impressed, though, and while Bilbo could understand his doubt, he felt the need to point out to the dwarf that he wasn't in a position to let pass such an opportunity and that he should take whatever he could get.

"Think of your kinsfolks, Thorin Oakenshield," she keened and that certainly caught Thorin's attention. "For how long do you think they can endure imprisonment? Better yet, for how long do you think the elves will keep you?"

That had him convinced.

And so, the fairy and the hobbit worked their way back up to the rest of the dwarves. Since they had been in a hurry the first time around- second for Bilbo- he hadn't had the chance to introduce the fairy- not that it mattered, since she had been invisible at the time. As they ascended, Bilbo informed her of all the events that had passed and were to come; the fairy listened quietly and didn't interrupt him.

"I have news, everyone!" the hobbit announced as he pushed the door open.

The dwarves jolted awake and didn't seem all that happy about it. They started grumbling and moaning, complaining about noisy hobbits and uncomfortable sleeping positions.

"Lads, please! We have a lady in our presence!"

The dwarves fell silent as they all approached their cell doors, trying to catch a glimpse of the lady through the round holes on the doors. The ones closest could see her standing prettily beside the hobbit, swaying her hips from left to right.

"What's this about, laddie?" Balin inquired, his eyes studying the girl curiously.

"Well, it's all a rather long and unimportant tale, so, to keep it simple: this is… a fairy who Thorin has appointed as the company's latest member. She and I are to work together to get you lot out," Bilbo explained with an excited grin. "Um, my lady fairy, let me introduce everyone!" he marched towards Balin, feeling peppy, and the fairy followed, not quite so peppy-like.

The old man smiled kindly at the young girl and thought, for the first time since he had ventured on this quest, that Thorin had finally lost it. "I am Balin, at your service!" he took a step back and bowed ceremoniously, "And what may we call you, little red one?" he questioned, taking notice of her outlandish hair colour.

In mid-bow, the fairy frowned at the appellative; she didn't find it fitting seeing as she was by far bigger than all of them. Nonetheless, she replied, "You may call me Red, and I will answer." At this Bilbo perked up, finally being able to put a name to the face.

Thus way, the introductions continued. The fairy would bow at one dwarf, turn around and bow to another, move along and bow again, and so it went.

"Bofur, at your service!"

"Oin, at your service!"

"Dori, at yer service!"

"Bombur, at your service, milady!"

"Fili, at your service! And might I add that it will indeed be a pleasure to serve you, milady!" he winked, bowing all the way to the floor in a lavish manner.

"You're already doing such a fine job. I find your braided beard to be quite amusing," she retorted while the others burst into laughter.

"Gloin, at your service!"

"This is Bifur and he is at your service as well," Bilbo presented while the dwarf named Bifur bowed bashfully.

"Dwalin, at your service!"

"Nori, at yer service!"

"Ori, at your service! I am very happy to make your acquaintance, milady."

As they headed to the last cell, the hobbit approached the fairy and whispered secretively, "At this rate I don't know what you're going to do with so many services."

"I can think of a few things," she replied smiling and came to a stop in front of the last prison cell.

"Kili, at your service!" the young dwarf spat and bowed curtly from the waist, earning an appalled look from the hobbit.

Gazing back at the fairy, Bilbo saw that she hadn't bothered to bow at the dwarf, instead standing motionless in front of him; she was regarding him with an entertained expression. Looking at them both, Bilbo finally let out a chuckle; Kili was glaring up at the fairy, his neck craned so that he could look her right in the eye while the fairy looked down, smirking at Kili, as a giant would look down on an ant it was about to stamp on. For a whole minute they stood scrutinising each other, the other dwarves and the hobbit holding their breaths expectantly.

"Shall we go, master hobbit?" she inquired, but didn't wait for Bilbo to pull himself together as she went ahead.

The dwarves' eyes followed her retreating form with the hobbit at her heels.

"You scared her off, laddie!" Bofur accused, disappointment in his tone.

For the next few days the hobbit and the fairy paced back and forth trying to think of a way to free the dwarves. They danced around each other, offering ideas- which were covered by the hobbit- and immediately shooting them down- which was covered by the fairy. From time to time Bilbo would go down to the dungeons to inform Thorin of their progress- or lack of it- but the fairy hadn't set foot there since she last came, much to the dwarves' displeasure.

"Why did you have to go and be rude to the pretty lady?" Fili admonished and Bifur grunted in agreement.

"I don't trust her," Kili muttered.

"Oi, yer starting to sound like yer uncle, lad," Nori pointed out.

"I thought she was nice," Ori chirped.

"What did the hobbit say she is?" Dwalin inquired.

"A fair lady," Oin sighed.

"Fairy, he said fairy," Balin corrected, shaking his head.

As luck would have it, one fateful day- or evening, it was really hard to tell in Mirkwood- while dinning with the Elvenking and his relations, the kingly elf turned to the fairy and said, "There will be a feast in two days' time and I thought to ask if you wish to celebrate with us."

"It is most sensible of you, Your Excellence, to think of such things," she replied merrily, sending the Elvenking a charming smile.

When supper was over, she scurried in search of the hobbit, and after half a day and many enquiring glances directed her way, she found him hiding in the kitchen pantry.

"Tracking down a mouse isn't nearly as difficult as tracking you, Bilbo Baggins," she scolded with her arms across her chest.

"I'm sorry, Miss Red, but I've overheard the most fascinating thing that could prove to be somewhat helpful to our cause."

And so the fairy told Bilbo of the coming of the feast which, they both agreed, was the perfect opportunity to sneak out unnoticed, and Bilbo told the fairy of the existence of another gate, one that was to be found underground. With this in mind, they ventured into the caves in search of the other gate which, surprisingly, didn't prove to be such a challenge to locate.

They stumbled into a cellar that was packed with barrels of different shapes and sizes and giving off various smells and, sure enough, there was a water-gate which, even more surprising, was wide open. They went about it, inspected and tested it, but weren't very sure what to make of it.

"I will swim down river and see what's ahead," the fairy declared and was off within seconds into the river.

Bilbo hid in the shadows and waited for her to come back. And wait he did for such a long while that by the time the fairy returned his fingers and toes were numb with cold. She was dripping wet but didn't appear to be freezing, yet Bilbo still gave her his coat, even if it only covered her shoulders.

"From what I gather, the river leads to Lake Town which is in the vicinity of the Lonely Mountain," she explained.

"Why, that's perfect! We couldn't ask for more," Bilbo squealed.

"But the river is wide and has strong currents. It will be difficult for thirteen dwarves to fend for themselves in it."

"Oh dear… What should we do, then?"

Just then they picked up the sound of approaching footsteps and hastily went to hide behind some of the barrels. A couple of elves appeared seconds later and were chatting excitedly of the forthcoming feast. They started handling the barrels, keeping those that were filled or half-filled with goods, and then throwing the ones that were empty out into the river; Bilbo and the fairy followed the barrels with their eyes as they went downstream. The fairy then turned to Bilbo, grinning conspiratorially, and Bilbo came to a dreadful realisation as he understood the meaning behind her smile.

Thus, a plan was formed.

The dwarves hadn't been informed of much; they were simply told that they wouldn't have to wait much longer. On the evening- or day- of the feast, Bilbo waited in front of the fairy's chamber as she went through the room, then emerged moments later. Bilbo was surprised to see she wasn't wearing a dress any longer, though he supposed that if they were going to be in a cold river a dress wouldn't have been entirely appropriate. They went down to the water-gate and waited patiently until, eventually, the king's butler and the chief of the guards arrived. Bilbo had overheard the butler when he had invited the chief of the guards to have a taste of the new wine before he would clear the cellar of the empty barrels, and so the fairy and the hobbit decided that it would be now or never.

As the two elves drank merrily, getting smashed by the glass, they slowly fell asleep on the wooden table. The hobbit approached them stealthily and pick-pocketed the chief of the guards, extracting the keys to the dungeons.

"I'm off to gather the dwarves!" Bilbo whispered urgently.

"I'll get the barrels ready," the fairy replied calmly.

Gathering the dwarves had proven to be more difficult than the hobbit had expected. They were being noisy, grumbling and complaining all the way, and the hobbit had to stop more than once to quiet them down. When they had finally reached the cellar, the fairy was leaning against one of the barrels, her arms crossed and an impatient scowl on her face.

"I fear that I have doubted you, Mistress Red," Thorin greeted, gladdened by the sight of her.

"I fear you do that quite a lot, Master Oakenshield."

"What are the barrels for, lass?" Bofur questioned.

The fairy bit back a chuckle and looked at Bilbo expectantly. "Well, you see…" the burglar mumbled.

After several more complaints and retorts of displeasure directed Bilbo's way and after the hobbit's outburst, the dwarves each started embarking the barrels, grumbling under their breaths. As they went in, the fairy or the hobbit would fill the barrel with straw, trying to make them as comfortable as possible. When they were done, they'd seal the barrel shut.

"You should get inside one as well, Bilbo Baggins. It will be safer," the fairy suggested and Bilbo complied without much thought.

After they had been secured in their barrels, the fairy turned invisible and went to linger by the gate. Fortunately, she didn't have to wait for long; when she reached the water-gate two more elves were descending into the cellar, seemingly drunk. They awoke the butler and the chief of the guards and began dumping the barrels into the river, complaining of their heaviness all the while. The gates opened sluggishly, the barrels went through, and the fairy dived after them. She managed to catch up to one of the barrels and climbed on top of it.

"Is that you, Miss Red?" the hobbit queried from inside the barrel.

"Who else would I be?"

"Is everyone accounted for?"

"Yes, all thirteen of them. You and I as well."

And so, they were free. Bilbo felt his heart beat rapidly as he smiled to himself. He wouldn't even allow thoughts of the dragon they were supposed to slay ruin his good disposition. As he lay in the uncomfortable little barrel, he will eventually fall asleep to the rocking motion of the river.

I suppose it would be sensible of me to assure you that the company is now safe, that no harm will come to them and that they will reach their destination in due time. I'm afraid I can't do that, though, because down river, a little ways further from where they were now drifting, lay waiting for them the oddest of creatures.


	4. Chapter o4

Chapter o4, in which we learn of the events following Bilbo Baggins' nose sticking where it doesn't belong

The last we saw of our valiant heroes – which was so long ago I'm amazed they haven't drowned yet – they were drifting along in the River Forest confined in their prickly barrels, much to their discontent. They grumbled and mumbled all day long, whining about wishy-washy hobbits and their silly ideas for torturing dwarves, about the cold in their bones, and about the sickly motions of the river.

This, however, failed to ruin the hobbit's high spirits. He thought gleefully to himself, fidgeting uncontrollably and squeaking every once in a while, of the road ahead, the adventures to come, the possibilities and the excitement. He was beginning to feel less and less afraid of the pending danger, mainly the dragon and certain death, and was more concerned with his damp clothes and the likelihood of a cold. All in all, he thought happy things, and this was possible because, the hobbit believed, he was in such good company.

More than ever he was convinced that Red the Fairy's existence in their lives was something of a blessing in disguise. She had come when things seemed to be grim and doomed and had guided them toward the light they sought so vehemently. Bilbo couldn't help another squeal from coming out of his mouth as he continued fidgeting giddily.

"You know, Miss Red," the hobbit mused out loud, "When this whole ordeal is over and done with, I would very much appreciate it if you would consider coming to the Shire for a visit and have a spot of tea with me. It is very pleasant, my home, very quiet and quite respectable, if you ignore those blasted relatives that keep coming to knock on your door every day, but other than that there's plenty of food and drinks all around; it's cosy and very comfortable, I'm sure you'd like it.

"What do you say, Miss Red?"

The hobbit played with his remaining button, tracing it across his belly while following it intently with his eyes, careful not to lose it. It didn't much matter at this point if he did, but Bilbo thought he shouldn't purposely lose his belongings when he had so few left. As a matter of fact, at this point in the story it can be said that he literally had the coat on his back and nothing else. He was getting lost in his thoughts, and when he realized Red the Fairy hadn't answered his question, his eyes narrowed.

"Miss Red?" he called, sounding confused.

When he was about to shout again, something jolted his barrel up. The sudden movement caught him by surprise and the hobbit didn't have time to brace himself for the impact with the barrel's walls. He grunted pitifully when he imagined the size of the bruise, trying to feel around his body for the aching pain. The barrel was placed on the ground and the hobbit could hear laughter around him. He abruptly stopped all movement when he realized there was more than one laugh. His blood ran cold when he recognised malice in the sound.

"Miss Red?" he shouted, voice frantic.

A sharp sword was shoved inside the barrel, causing the hobbit to yelp in fear. The sword was pushed harder and the top of the barrel flew open, revealing the bright sky and so much light that Bilbo had to shelter his eyes so he wouldn't go blind. Squinting through his eyelids, he looked back up to the sky; the hobbit wanted to get out of the barrel to see what was going on, but then a face appeared out of nowhere, looking down on him.

Bilbo was in a complete state of shock, mostly because this stranger whom had hauled him out of the water could be dangerous and partly because this stranger was possibly the most beautiful creature he had ever and would ever see in his life. She was staring down at him, eyes cold and devoid of emotion, unfocused and bored; Bilbo wondered if she really was looking at him and not into him. He gazed back into the azure pools; he saw his reflection clearly in her eyes, as if he was gazing into a frozen lake. Her skin was the colour of the moon and her flowing locks cascaded above his face, strands of hair as cold as icicles. She chuckled silently under her breath, low and susurrus.

With a start, Bilbo realized the beautiful creature was really male.

"Noisy bunch, aren't they?" a distant voice inquired, or was it just the wind?

Snapping out of the creature's mesmerizing spell, Bilbo heard his companions' shouting, demanding to be let out of their wooden prisons. More malicious laughs erupted all around. The beautiful man, though at this point Bilbo very much doubted he was Man, placed the top back in its place and pushed the barrel so that it was lying on its side on the ground. The barrel would surely have rolled off had it not been for something strong, the man's foot, no doubt, stomping on it. Bilbo froze in his place, confusion and dread coursing through his body.

Where was Miss Red?

"Be gentle, now. I promised no harm would come to them," her demeanour sounded calm, confident, speaking with familiarity and what sounded to Bilbo like authority. What Bilbo and the company couldn't see, though, was the amused glint in her eyes which reflected in the eyes of those around her.

"Blasted fairy! What is the meaning of this?" Thorin's gruff voice bellowed close by; most of the dwarves had quieted down upon hearing their leader, though some continued to mutter no-so-subtle profanities under their breaths.

"Whatever do you mean?" the Red Fairy inquired, sounding bored and tired as if she were speaking to a silly child; her companions' gazes followed her as she reached the barrel the dwarf king was confined in, where she leaned her elbow on top of it.

"I demand explanations! We had a deal!"

"And the deal is over. I'm aware that at the moment your world is as big as the barrel you're encapsulated in, master dwarf, but you must at least have the sense to figure we are no longer on elven territory."

"You swore you meant us no harm!"

"I swore no harm would come to you. Personally, I mean a great deal of harm to you, you're a rather insufferable individual, master dwarf," Thorin swore under his breath, wishing he had a sharp pointed item to draw through the little demon's head. "However, I am bound to my word. As promised, no harm will come to you or your companions."

"You lying, treacherous little-"

"Company of dwarves! And hobbit," she hollered, though her voice didn't sound like it had gone any decibels higher. "Are you all alive and well?"

Many shouts and curses suddenly erupted around Thorin, one louder and angrier than the other. The silence had died with the revival of the dwarves' spirits; most of the fairy's companions had covered their ears and rolled their eyes at each other, turning to glare at their leader. The Red Fairy was unfazed by this, instead smiling wickedly in the general direction of the dwarves' commotion. She appeared to be relaxed, leaning still against the dwarf king's barrel, contempt easily read in her expression.

Thorin could hear all of them with distinct clarity: Fili and Kili's string of clever swears, Bifur's mumblings that not even Thorin could decipher, Dwalin's livid pounding on his own barrel, Ori's desperate calls for his brothers. Several thumps followed, as if large heavy objects had been dropped on the ground and the dwarves' uproar died down. Thorin's heart squeezed in his chest. What had he gotten them into?

"I'm afraid the hobbit is frozen stiff for the time being," the fairy informed matter-of-factly, pushing her body off the wooden capsule, "But that does not really qualify as being harmed, wouldn't you say? If anything, it prevents him from getting harmed."

She walked towards one the barrels furthest from the others, one precariously close to the river, which had yet to be shoved to the ground. "I suppose," she continued, "I should have warned him not to stare at Ice Cube over there for so long. Oh well, no harm done."

Now it was the others' turn to cause a commotion. They each snickered silently to themselves; some were dripping with foul poison, some were bordering on insane delight.

"What do you want?" queried Thorin, his voice impassive, cold, and sturdy.

"We shall see," the fairy replied indifferently. It irked Thorin how similar the tone was to when he had first struck a deal with her.

"Roll them off," she ordered and her companions quickly complied.

Just when the dwarves were about to engage in another fit, the sudden jerk of the rolling barrels startled them shut. With each reel of the barrel, however, the dwarves roared to life, either to grunt at the painful predicament or to shout blasphemies at their captors.

The Red Fairy approached the remaining barrel in which the remaining dwarf pounded violently in his haste to liberate himself, all the while shouting at the top of his lungs.

"Uncle Thorin! Fili!"

_Ah, Kili._ Inwardly, a smile crept up the fairy's lips as she came closer to the youngest's barrel. It was easy to tell it was him, even easier to read who he was; his loyalty to Thorin gave him away quickly and the heritage he shared with the blond dwarf was plain for the fairy to see – the similarity in their names aside. She watched the barrel shake from the intensity of his hits as her eyes rolled at his trivial attempts.

"If you don't calm down, you will hurt yourself," she admonished as a mother would her child who was up to no good.

The shaking and shouting stopped abruptly. Then, "You canning wench!" And the shaking and shouting resumed, more powerful than before. "Just you-"

"You don't know the meaning of that word," she interrupted, not intimidated by his idle threats; this took Kili by surprise. "Obviously, since what you meant was 'conniving'."

"You haven't the slightest idea what I meant!" the dwarf shouted, thankful he was enclosed so that the _conniving_ fairy wench couldn't see his burning cheeks. "I swear, when I am out of this damn-"

Before he could finish, his barrel was shoved to the ground with a loud thud. Kili hadn't expected that, thus he hadn't been prepared for the impact. He growled in pain as the air was knocked out of his lungs; he tried very hard to grasp the walls around him to prevent him from spinning, but had no such luck.

He could hear his companions all around him, in spite of the ringing in his ears. He tried searching for his brother's voice, tried calling for him through uneven gasps, but Kili could barely catch his breath. The spinning seemed interminable, but at some point, he wasn't sure after how long, they stopped and his barrel was hauled up, though he still felt everything around him spinning.

When he came to it, Kili realized someone was perched on top of his barrel. He realized this because their limbs were banging against the wooden surface. Kili could only take a stab at who was perched on top of his barrel.

"I am very much harmed, just so you know," he commented dryly, contemplating whether he should throw himself against the barrel so that the damned wench would fall, and hope that the barrel would fall on top of her.

"You'll live," she replied just as dryly.

"It still qualifies as harm."

"The type of harm wasn't specified."

"What's that supposed to mean? You're inflicting harm upon us at this very moment!"

"You'll heal. Think about it, though. This type of harm is far better than one that would result in your death."

Kili remained silent, cursing fairy wenches and their _conniving_ way of thinking. She chuckled from above, and Kili wondered what she found to be so amusing.

"Why not make them walk?" he heard her shout, though it didn't sound like shouting, more like leaves rustling in the wind. He thought that was odd.

When he heard her jump to her feet on top of the barrel, Kili immediately braced himself, this time ready for the impact. When the kick came and the barrel crashed to the ground, the pain hadn't been so searing. The top of the barrel flew open and he saw several of the other barrels lying on the ground. He saw Ori with his head on the grass, halfway out of the barrel with eyes dizzy and confused. He spotted Bombur attempting to frantically get out of the container, but couldn't because he was stuck. He took notice of Mr Bilbo who was shivering as if winter had taken residence under his skin.

His line of vision was blocked when a pair of boots appeared in front of him. His eyes trailed up to the owner's face and Kili couldn't help but stare at the Red Fairy in all her glory. The colour of her skin was startlingly similar to that of snow; in contrast with her fair complexion was the scarlet mess of locks; her jade eyes reminded Kili of forests long forgotten when he used to practice with his bow and arrow in his younger days. Kili wanted to appear daring, but he barely contained the lump in his throat as her eyes assessed his own.

"Get up, Kili," she compelled.

And he did. And he didn't understand why.


	5. Chapter o5

Chapter o5, in which the company's suffering endures

For the better part of the day, the dwarves trudged through the unfamiliar forest, grumbling less and huffing more. It was becoming obvious, to most of them at least, that the fairy had spoken the truth when she claimed they were no longer in Mirkwood but, from what they gathered, on the other side of the river. The other side was substantially better than the Wood-elves' side no matter how you chose to look at it: it was brighter, greener, and healthier. The sun shone hotly behind blossomed tree branches and the air didn't smell of anything but fresh dew and wet leaves. The ground was soft and grassy and birds were chirping loudly and lively, little brown squirrels were jumping giddily from tree to tree while rabbits scurried around fruitful bushes. Everything was beautiful and abundantly rich.

Between you and me, the dwarves' perception of the forest might be a bit fanciful, but you can understand why that is so. After Mirkwood and murderous spiders and poisonous food and dreadful elves, this place was, to all intents and purposes, paradise. Of course, to you and I the forest looks just like any other forest you might see in the mountains or in the parks or in a picture book, but if you asked, say, Ori, he would have told you the forest was, in fact, made of sparkling emerald leaves that were used by the little woodland creatures to trade for fresh cold air from furtive smiling flowers that dangled their colourful petals prettily, or something the likes of which you see only in books. Fanciful, isn't it?

Now that they were all up and about instead of crammed in wooden barrels, the dwarves had a better grasp on what their situation looked like: as previously established, they were no longer on elven territory; it was safe to assume their captors were all fairy folk; they had no idea where they were heading; they had no way of escaping.

The dwarves and hobbit were circled by their abductors and moved in the direction of the fairies' choosing. Even though the dwarves outnumbered the fairies, the latter were better armed. And, Thorin noticed, more skilled, with prompt reflexes and incredible strength. Early in the day, after their rough release from the wooden barrels, the dwarves had been instructed to walk the rest of the way. Some demanded they be told their destination; however, their request was met with mocking silence. Kili had chosen to walk at the back of the circle, and eventually behind the Red Fairy, which none of the captors seemed to mind. At some point during the day, he had tried to bolt in the opposite course, but was swiftly pulled back by the Red Fairy who had yanked the dwarf by his hair. After that, Kili remained in the back, behind the Red Fairy, seemingly forgotten; Thorin understood she needn't worry that the young one would escape, because he couldn't.

Thus, the dwarves mostly spent their time scrutinising the fairies and whispering among themselves. Odd lot they were, beings that resembled the Elves but were more likely to be children of Men. Four of them were male, the hobbit had observed, and Red the Fairy, the fifth, was the only female. They had long overflowing locks, each one unlike the other. They were all tall with long limbs and lithe movements, strong and prepared to kill at a moment's notice.

The silence was becoming unsettling. It bothered Kili that his and his companions' fate had to rest in these devils' hands; that the fairies could decide whether they would live or die. "Where are you taking us?" inquired Kili.

Any one of them could have answered, but it was obvious the question had been directed to one in particular.

"There's really no point in telling you," she replied placidly without so much as glancing his way, "Since you've never heard of it."

"I would feel more at ease if I knew where I was going," he pressed.

"If you need someone to hold your hand, dwarfling, I recommend you run along to your big brother."

The rest of the fairies snickered at Kili's flustered expression. To his dismay, some of the dwarves chuckled under their breaths as well, but were immediately silenced by Thorin's disapproving scowl. This only further prompted the fairies' amusement.

All day long, Bilbo tried his best not to look over his shoulder at Red the Fairy. He listened intently, almost fixated on the sound of the fairies' rhythmic steps. The little hobbit was torn between betrayal and blind disbelief, things which he had never in his life felt before, which only made things worse for him. The hobbit felt at a loss and wanted to look back at the only one who had answers to his questions. But he restrained as best he could. He knew better. He knew it was her doing that brought them in this dire predicament to begin with.

"We've arrived," the Red Fairy announced, stopping dead in her tracks; Kili, a few paces behind her, abruptly halted as to not bump into her back.

She regarded him over her shoulder, observing him with wicked green eyes and a patronising smirk. She spoke softly, as if in a whisper, "Hand holding aside, do you also need help walking, dwarfling?"

He growled at in her annoyance before marching to his brother.

They had stopped somewhere in the heart of the forest. The sun was peeking at them behind budding twigs while woodland creatures regarded them with evident curiosity. Several left their sheltered nests, perched on the highest branches, to get a better glimpse, but did not dare approach. The animals were aware of the nefarious undertakings of the fair folk; that didn't mean they were about to become involved in them.

"Which one is it?" one of the male fairies queried, his eyes taking in the surroundings.

The Red Fairy didn't reply. Instead, she picked up her stride and walked forward, walked past the dwarves and past her kinsfolk. She rounded one of the trees and hid behind it. It was by far the thickest tree in the entire forest. It was, oddly enough, unpopulated, despite the fact it had more leaves and more flowers than the other trees, vibrant with colour and abundance. Its branches grew tall as if reaching for the sky and its leaves expanded to dominate the rest of the trees.

"Come on, then," a fairy commanded and shoved Bombur in the tree's direction.

"I don't understand," Fili whispered, following the group. "Mr Bilbo, where are we going?"

The hobbit didn't know and would have responded thus, had it not been for the surreal sight unfolding before his eyes. One of the fairies who walked in front of the group also rounded the tree and simply disappeared. He didn't walk to the other side of the tree, he didn't hide behind it; he just disappeared. He was followed by Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur, then by Nori, Dori, and Ori. The remaining were frozen in place from shock and took a lot of shoving to move towards the tree. Balin and Dwalin were next, followed by Fili, Kili, and Bilbo, and last by Thorin, Oin, and Gloin.

The change in temperature was evident after the first seconds passed. What had been refreshingly cool moments ago was now bristling hot. The forest had transformed entirely. Mind you, dwarves aren't ones for elaborate words and poetic descriptions; therefore, let's see the hobbit's take on all of it.

To Bilbo, this new forest seemed to be pulsing with life; it breathed softly, its murmuring thoughts carried by the wind. Embed into the breeze was the song of birds, but they were not sounds that birds normally made; the sound was similar to wind chimes on a brisk summer day. The whole of it all struck him senseless, the world was bustling with life yet at a standstill.

The fairies' appearances also altered. There was no shadow of a doubt that the odd creatures were neither Elves nor Men. The beautiful one with cold features looked the same, save for his ears which were longer and pointed. Another one had shrunk considerably and grew a disturbing tail; he had sharp teeth and sharper claws, his skin was pitch-black, and he also had long and pointed ears. The third was the tallest and thinnest of the group; he was bony, he had white hair and white eyes, and he, too, had long pointy ears. The last one was undoubtedly the most terrifying; he had grown in height and size, more muscular than Dwalin, his skin was turning to the colour of ash, and his lips were sewed together. The Red Fairy remained as Bilbo knew her, though her ears were long and pointed similar to the others'.

She smiled as the baffled expressions beckoned her.

"Welcome to the Summer lands."

"How did we-"

Thorin was never one for fancies and magic tricks. He stuck to his weapons and only thought of the hardship that was his life and the glory that was to come. He kept watch on his nephews, whom he loved dearly, and for whom he desired to reclaim what should had been theirs in the first place. He didn't like to be involved with cynical wizards and unreliable elves, even when it was necessary. Now, when he found himself in the midst of these peculiar creatures and their ephemeral homeland, the only thoughts that ran through his head were '_It's so bloody hot I wish there was some shade.'_

Bilbo, for most of the time, didn't think of much and instead gaped at everything there was to gape at. He found he couldn't bring himself to form words inside his head, let alone speak them out loud. His thoughts were fleeting; he couldn't concentrate on his surroundings, for whenever he moved his eyes, a new idea would pop into his head. He remained fixated on the fairy's words; he felt 'summer lands' was a fitting name for the evergreen woods. '_A land of everlasting summer.'_ He spotted another crowd of fairies playing somewhere near the trees. They all had pointy ears and laughed lyrically. Bilbo said to himself, _'They seem to be enjoying themselves. I wish I could join them.' _He stared a second longer, those last feelings resonating in his mind, and so the little hobbit, with his hirsute feet, carried himself to the fairies so that he could play with them. His dwarven companions called after him, but he didn't hear or just didn't care.

In his lifetime Kili had seen many a things that bordered between wondrous and hideous, but he couldn't decide what to make of this place. Of course, it was lovely and spectacular like something taken out of a dream and similar to the stories his mother used to tell him as a child. Everything was exuberantly jade with a splash of colour here and there, the air smelled sweet and summery and, since the moment they had arrived, he felt compelled to relax when faced with the quiescent setting. Still, these were not things Kili enjoyed. Kili enjoyed messy training grounds and the smell of ale and fighting with his friends until someone lost so the loser could buy ale. He enjoyed having a laugh with his brother and destroying public property, despite the fact that his mother or his uncle would admonish him later on. He wasn't one for pleasantries and things that just seemed _'So girly.'_

At some point, two female fairies had appeared before him and his brother. One was tall and one was small yet they seemed to be a pair. The other dwarves had dispersed, but he didn't get to look for them because the two fairies caught his eye again. He didn't think them beautiful, because they were far too thin and were lacking in facial hair, not to mention they were taller than him (even the small one). They had small noses and long pointy ears and their lips curved almost despicably on their pale faces. He glanced at his brother and saw that he shared his awareness. When they glanced back at the fairy girls, the two had their heads tilted in a similar manner with similar smiles.

"Would you care-" the tall one started.

"-for a drink?" the small one ended.

The brothers blinked in unison. Suddenly, thoughts of cold beverages rang in their minds and their expressions broke into silly grins. "Yes, please," they both replied.

The tall one took Kili's shoulder while the small one cupped Fili's hand, and the fairies led the dwarves to one of the trees where other fairy girls were resting and feasting on odd-looking fruits and drinking odd-coloured juices. As they approached, the fairies giggled gleefully in their direction. Displeased, Kili frowned and couldn't understand why he was thinking of tinkling icicles melting in the morning sun.

Kili and Fili found themselves in the middle of the giggling fairy girls who weren't beautiful but had very pretty eyes. They offered the dwarves their fruit which was round and as big as Kili's fist, black on the outside, purple on the inside, and yellow at its core, and which tasted a lot like passion and tingled Kili's body with fire. Then they offered the dwarves their drinks which were cold and white and tasted like mint and made Kili feel lightheaded. He smiled at the fairies while they giggled some more at his dazed look.

Kili wandered with his eyes and took everything in. His head hurt every time his eyes moved until he eventually decided to rest on one place. Unfortunately, that place happened to be on a person with outlandishly red hair. Kili promptly glared.

She had her back turned to him and she was talking to two other fairies, the one that was cold and the one whose skin was grey. She was listening carefully at what the cold one had to say while the other stood noiselessly_._

"Do you fancy her?" a fairy inquired curiously.

"Of course not!" he glanced back at her and instantly forgot who she had been talking about.

He stared at her in confusion as she grinned innocently. "You know," she whispered confidentially, "She's awfully mean to all of us."

She glanced at the individual in question and Kili followed her gaze. As his eyes fell on the red-head's back, his blood began to boil. The other fairies stared warningly at their friend.

"I only wish someone would stand up to her."

"I will!" the young dwarf shouted as he sprung from the grass, which he then regretted because he became dizzy and stumbled on his feet.

Nonetheless, he began to stalk in her direction, which seemed miles away to his intoxicated senses. He considered her as he staggered her way. Kili couldn't remember how he had met the Red Fairy but that seemed far from relevant at the moment. All he could think about was her tall figure, her long red curls, and that condescending smirk she had whenever she looked his way.

"I have a bone to pick you with, Red!" he slurred.

She didn't even flinch. She turned her head and smirked that condescending smirk at his drunken form. The creepy one was laughing mutely while the cold one rolled his eyes impatiently.

"I didn't think you'd remember me, dwarfling," she countered serenely.

He positioned himself in front of her and stood in the centre of the three. He craned his neck so that he could glare at her, though she didn't seem to be bothered by his outburst.

"Well? What about that bone?" she inquired.

"I don't like you!" he bellowed as closely to her face as he could reach. "In fact, I think you're dreadful!"

The Red Fairy seemed genuinely flattered, "You're too kind."

Kili didn't know how to respond to that, so he did the only thing that made sense at the time. He pulled his fist back, ready to attack, but then his vision started spinning and, all of a sudden, he was sprawled on his stomach on the grass, something hard pressing on his back. When he turned to look, he found the Red Fairy sitting on him.

"Silly little thing, aren't you?" she laughed while flicking his nose.

The rest of the dwarves had heard the commotion, but were easily distracted when the fairies picked them up for a dance just when the music started playing.


End file.
